Ay-nako

iTrader: (25)

that is ridiculous. you mean to tell me that every single vehicle will make a sound/rattle/crack/crink whatever on the same test drive. I find that so hard to belive that every single car will have the exact same condition. think what you are saying. that IS350 A will make the sound at this exact point, same as IS350 B.

... smh

sr20mofo

iTrader: (10)

so ur saying since the bumpy roads close to the service center was unable to dublicate the problem that they should try another bumpy road 30miles away? smh. like i said, if the tech isnt able to dublicate the problem then it should be made aware to the master tech and if the master tech cant either then owner of vehicle and the tech goes for a drive together.

chikoo

so u r a girl. Imagine you getting all dressed up and looking real hot and nobody even took notice, let alone invite you to dinner. Now that would be real violation :-D

I do understand your pain, but take a look from the guys perspective.

TimboIS

Ya, let it go. If you're that upset, take your business elsewhere. That will show them.

Gryss

What makes you think that all of those miles where put on the car to duplicate the concern?

When I was working as a tech for Lexus we had a route that we always took every car on no matter what it was in for. It was 8 miles, a little freeway, a little city just to make sure everything was fine and dandy.

Now consider this, you drop the car off and Tech A goes for a drive and duplicates the rattle. (8miles). Tech A narrows it down to a noise coming from the cluster and removed the cluster then goes for a drive to confirm the noise is gone. (8+8=16) Tech A then installs a new cluster and goes for a test drive to confirm the noise is still gone with the new cluster. (8+8+8=24) Tech A finishes up his paperwork and hands it over to the Service writer who goes for a drive with Tech A to confirm it is gone as well. (8+8+8+8=32).

Does that sound excessive? No

Now image it was not so easy to track down, maybe it sounded like it was coming from the dash pad, kneeroll, center console or glove box. Do you remove all those parts and go for one test drive? No, you remove them one at a time and drive it between each and every one.

I took my car into a dealership a few weeks ago for a check engine light covered by warranty, they put two miles on the car, Shotgunned the diag and assumed it was fixed. It wasn't and I had to make a second trip when the light came back on after 15 miles.

Now I am a service writer for lexus, ANY big job, pesky rattle, or hard to duplicate concern drives home with me if the customer allows. About 85 miles round trip. I do this because if it is going to fail, I want it to do so before I give it back to a customer.

Would you rather they put a few miles on the car and have to go back because the rattle was not fixed because they only put 5 miles on the car after the replaced a part and assumed it was fixed?


PS Edit: that service manager could handled the situation a bit better. As far as i am concerned that mileage is NOT excessive at all. Not in the least. But I don't think it was explained to you why those miles where put on the car. From the outside looking in I would be confused too.

chikoo

^ +1 to gryss.

Gryss

Was there any more follow up from the service manager?

LIS350A

No, I have not heard from the dealership after the initial conversation. I did call Lexus Corporate and make a complaint.

Gryss

That seems kind of lame, is there another dealer close by you can get it serviced at?

smokyis350

iTrader: (21)

85 miles?! I hope you tell the customer that you will be taking the car on a 85 miles test drive beforehand.

Thank god my local Lexus dealership don't pull that off. I brought it into my dealership approximately 5 times in the past 4 years for rattles. The road test usually consists of 5 miles round trip. The technician knows roads that will replicate the rattles. The good thing is that they even let me drive my car while the technician sits on the passenger side trying to figure out where the sound is coming from.

LIS350A

Not really close by. I have other options, but I'd really have to go out of my way.

Gryss

Of course they know beforehand. I'm not stupid enough to just take someones car, rack up the miles and not let them know. That is why this is an issue, I don't think it was the 33 miles. but the lack of explination for the 33 miles or asking permission to put miles on it.

If I or any of my techs need more then 20 miles on a car, the customer gets a phone call.

And the drive home usually isn't for rattles, usually it is for inter CEL, rough running issues or long distance driveabality issues that require miles being put on it.

KillaIS250

iTrader: (1)

^ Question for you: When you worked as tech, if you took a customers car home was the dealerships insurance covering you if anything happened to the car while it was in your possession?

Gryss

Yes. I would NEVER take a car for any reason if it was for work and I was not covered. To much personal risk if I got rear ended or something.

Sango

iTrader: (10)

Sometimes I think the techs just don't pay attention to the sounds and think it's "normal". Their hearing may not be good as well.

I remember having this conversation with the lead tech even in the car I was driving with when I had rattles with a different car which I didn't have anymore which turned out to be a bad one (long story, that's why I have my 11 IS). It's like, OK I clearly heard it, the tech said, he didn't.

Then goes on to say I have a "heightened sense of hearing". Also said that, his IS-F makes rattles and that's normal (yeah right...). I emailed to the service director and contacted Lexus corporate about that saying that what the tech said was unprofessional and should not be tolerated. My response is that, yes my hearing is good because I used to play musical instruments so my ears are sharp at hearing.